Bowling alley



March 19, 1929.

R. A. WILLIAMS BOWLING ALLEY Filed Jan. 50, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet WZZLZzms', 4 MPCMM,

March 19, 1929. RA. WILLIAMS BOWLING ALLEY' 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 50, 1928 lhzzenlor:

March 19, 1929.

R. vA. WILLIAMS BOWLING ALLEY Filed Jan. 30, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Match 19, 1929. R. A. WILLIAMS BOWLING ALLEY Filed Jan. 30, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Ewcntor: fiaynwmZ/Z Willianw,

March 19, 1929. R A; w s 1,706,271

Y BOWLING ALLEY Filed Jan. 30, 192 v 6 Sheets-Sheet s 10 y 1o v Q ms "Ill

liwenlor:

' the presentinvention.

Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE.-

' Ramon!) a WILLIAMS, or nnnrnemon, 'massncnnsnm'rs.

BOWLING .ALLEY.

Application fil ed January 80; 1928. Serial No. 250,615.

ized, and the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described except as required by the scope of theappended claims.

Of the drawings; v v Figure 1 represents a plan of one end ofa bowling alley embodying the principles of Figure 2 represents a longitudinal vertical section of same on line 2, 2, on Fig. 1.

'Figure 3 represents a transverse vertical section of same, on line 3, 3, on Fig. 2.

Figure 4 represents a' vertical section on line-4:, 4, on Fig. 1., I

Figure 5 represents a transverse vertical section of the head of the alley and showing the devices for actuating the various mechanisms at the other end of the alley.

Figure 6 represents a longitudinal vertical section on line 6, 6, on Fig. 5, and

- devices for elevating the used balls and re turning them to the head of the alley. Similar characters indicate like throughout the several'figures of the ings.

In the drawings, 10 is a bowling alley having gutters 11 on the opposite sides thereof. At the rear of the alley is a pit 12, having its sides inelineddownwardly toward a central opening .13 beneath which is a movable apron 14 mounted uponr-ollers 15.

The upper part of the apron 14 is moved in the direction of the arrow wonFig. 1 of the drawings by means of a sprocket wheel 16 connected by means of an endless chain 17 to a sprocket wheel 18 on'a revoluble shaft 19, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The rear end of the alley 10 has set into its upper face a plate 20 having a plurality of tubular members 21 extending downarts wardly therefrom, the lower end of these tubular members being connected to a fi'xed' bottom plate 22.

In each tubular memberf21- isa plunger 23,the lower ends of said; plungers being secured to a platev 24 having bearings 25 formed thereon, said bearings 25 being reciprocable vertically upon the guiderods 26.

The lower ends of these guide rods 26 are secured in the concrete foundation 27 of the chamber 27 beneath the rear end of thealley, while-the upper ends of these guide rods 26 are secured to a fixed cross bar 28.

" The plungers 23 are moved'upwardlysimultaneously'by means of arms 29 secured to an oscillating shaft 30, said shaft also having an arm 3Lsecured thereto, the upper end of which is articulated to a horizontal rod 32 movable en-dwise in a fixedbearing 33.

The reciprocation of this rod 32 is eifected by means ofmechanismat the heady of the alley which will be hereinafter described.

, The outer end of the lever 29 is bifurcated; as at 34 and coacts with a pin 35 extending laterally from each bearing 25.

. The upward movement of the plungers 23 is limited by the plate-24 coming in contact with the lower ends 36 of the tubular members 21 and when this plate 24: is in contact with these lower ends 36 the upper ends 37 of the plungers 23 will be in the same plane with the'top of the alley 10.

The pins to be used on the alley are delivered to the tubular members 21 and are ver- 3 tically disposed upon the upper ends 37 of Figure 7 represents a-vertical section of the the plungers 23 prior to the upward movement-of the plate 24 and when the plungers are moved upwardly after the pins have been disposed thereon, said pins will be accurately positioned upon the spots of the alley so that a perfect game may be played.

In other words, there will be no chance one side of the spots as is often trueiwhen the pins are manually set by pin boys.

In the bottom of the pit 12 and atone side of the apron 14 is. anelongated opening'38 of sufiicient size to permit the passage of a pin when resting on one.side thereof. v

Adjacent to and at one side ofthis open- Fig. 1. 3 .This change of positiorf issuch that the pins are carried endwise to the opening 38 for the pins to be carelessly placed a little so that they'may drop into the conduit in which said opening 38 is formed.

The abutment 39 prevents any pin reaching the opening 38 and extending crosswise thereof, as each pin that reaches the abutment is moved into such position that it may pass through said opening 38.

This opening 38 is just. wide enough to permit of the passage of a pin but is too narrow to permit any used ball passing therethrough.

As a consequence, as the upset ins and used balls in the pit 12 are move by the a mu 14 in the direction of the arrow at, the pins will pass through the opening 38 into the conduit 40 while the balls will move over the opening 38 into the ball conduit 41.

From the conduit 40 branch two chutes 42,

the upper ends of these chutes 42 communicating with elongated slots 43 in the bottoms of the utters 11, the width of the openings being s ightl in excess'of the diameter of a pin but less t an the diameter of theballs bein used.

%l'onsequently, any pins that are upset and roll into the gutter 11 pass downwardly through the slots 43 and then down the chutes 42 into the conduit '41 to be delivered into an annular member or pin carrier 44 rovided with a plurality of inwardly exten ing ribs 45, these ribs 45 being separated forming spaces 45*, so that the pins delivered to the carrier 44 will enter these spaces 45 between saidribs 45 each rib having a length slightly in excess of the length of thepin.

This annular member 44 is rotatable about its axis on the rollers 46 contacting with the periphery thereof.

The periphery of the annular member 44 is provided with gear teeth 47 meshing with a pinion 48 upon the revoluble shaft 19.

\ This shaft 19 has secured thereto a driving,

member 49 which may be connected in any suitable manner to the rotatableshaft of an electric motor 50.

It will be seen, therefore, that the annular member 44 and the movable apron 14 in the bottom of the pit 12 are actuated simultaneously from the rotatable shaft 19.

Within the upper portion ofthe annular member or pin carrier 44 is a fixed frame 51 which has at the top thereof a plurality of pockets 52, each pocket having a depth sufiicientto receive two pins, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The number of pockets 52 in this frame 51.

de ends on whether the bowling alley is of in 1 size or whether it is made upon a small scale to be used as a toy.

When the full sized bowling alley is made the number of pockets is ten, but when the toy bowling alley is constructed a lesser number of pockets and pins may be used.

As the pins shoot down through the chutes 42 and conduit 40 they will be delivered endwise into the spaces 45 between the ribs 45.

The annular member or. pin carrier 44 r0.-

54 having secured to their lower ends wide from the cross bar blades 55, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. 7

.-Sh0uld any of'the pins enter the annular member or pin carrier 44 above the ribs 45, or at an angle thereto, they will come in contact with one of the wide blades 55 and as the annular member 44 rotates in the direction of arrow 6 this contact will insure the changing of the position of each in so that it will extend transversely of said annular member and drop into one of the spaces 45? between adjacentribs 45.

As the pins are carried by these ribs 45 upwardly in the rotation of the annular member 44 they will drop into the ockets 52 whenthey reach said pockets, and y the continuous rotation of the annular member 44 all of these pockets will be kept filled with pins.

Opposite the axis of the lower row of pins in the pockets 52 are a plurality of pushing members 56 secured to a plate 57.

. This plate 57 is movable endwise of a guide member 58 extending horizontally from the fixed frame 51 and is secured to two rods "59,

the opposite ends of'which are secured to a therefrom into a slot in a lever 65 secured to an oscillating shaft 66 having another arm or lever 67 secured thereto.

The other end of this arm 67 is articulated v to a vertical .rod 68, the. upper end of which is pivotally connected thereto at 69 to an actuating lever 70, pivoted at 71 to a fixed member 72. I

The rod 68 extends through a' guide member 73 as indicated in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

The rod 61 has acollar-7 3 thereon between which and the bearing 63 is an helical spring 74, this spring normally retaining the pushing members 56in the position indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

When it is desired to push a plurality of pins from the pockets 52 the operator at the head of the alley moves the lever 70 downwardly and when the operation is completed the spring 74 returns the pushing memb rs 56 to their normal position.

When the pushing members 56 are moved to the left of Fig.2, the pins will be forced into branch tubes-75, one tube 75 extending from each of the tubular members 21.

When the pins are pushed down the inclined surfaces of-these branch tubes they will be disposed vertically upon the upper ends 37 of the reciprocating plungers 23 before said plungers 23 move upwardly.

When these plungrs 23 move upwardly all the pins in the'varioustubular members 1 21 will be raised thereby and be accurately set upon the upper face of the alley.

The end of the rod 32 at the head of the alley is articulated at 76 to one end of a lever 77- secured to an oscillating. shaft 78 mounted in brackets 79.

A control lever 80 is secured to said shaft 78 and extends through a guide member 81 secured to the post 82.

The guide member 81 has a shoulder 83 with which the lever 80 is adapted to e1igage when the plungers 23 are in raised position.

When a string has been played the player disengages the lever 80 from the shoulder 83 and moves said lever in the direction of arrow 0 on Fig. 6, thereby moving all of the 'plungers 23 downwardly into the position shown in Fig. 2 preparatory to having a new set of pins deposited on the top of said plung- In order to get. rid of the deadwood upon the alley ,and remove it into the pit 12, a"

swinging arm, 84 is provided which is secured to an oscillating shaft 85 atone side of the alley, said shaft 85 being mounted in a bearing 86.

The lower end ofv the shaft 85 has secured thereto a-pinion 87 meshing with the teeth of a rack 88 secured to one end of a rod 89 reciprocable in brackets 90.

The other end of rod 89 extends, through a bearing 91 and a bracket 92 and has a pm 93 thereon disposed in the bifurcated fshown in Fig. 6.

end 94 of afoot lever 95 pivoted at 96, as

The rod 89 has a collar 97, thereon between which and the bearing is a coiled spring 98 which normally retains the rack end of the rod 89 against the fixed stop 99.

When the deadwood is to be removed from the alley the player actuates the foot lever and thereby causes the arm 84 to swing about itspivot 85 across the upper face of the alley thus forcing all the deadwood into the pit, where it is taken'care of in the manner hereinbefore described. 1

Theball trough 41 in which all of the used balls are collected inclines downwardly toward a ball lifting mechanism as shown in Fig. 7.

This lifting mechanism consists of two side- 1 boards 100 between which is mounted an'end- "less apron 101 passing over revolublepulleys 102, 103.

The pulley 103 is secured to a shaft 104 having a pulley 105 secured thereto and is a sheave shaft ro-rality of horizontally disposed plu'ngers driven by a belt 106 passing over 107 on the shaft of motor 108, said tating in the direction of arrow (1 on Fig. 7.

On the outer face of the apron 101 are a plurality of pockets 109 and as the balls roll down the trough 41. they successively enter said pockets and are carried thereby over the top'of pulley 102 and deposited in the inclined runway 110 and then roll down this runway. to the head of the alley.

The motors 50 and 108 are in an electriccircuit having a switch 111 therein which may be actuated tos'tart or stop said motors.

This "switch 111 is preferably mounted up.- on the post 82 as indicated in Fig. 6.. No

electric circuit between the switch and mo tors is shown as it is obvious that any well known circuit may be used in this connection.

The rollers 46 are mounted on pins 112, the ends of which are positioned in vertical walls 113, 114 on opposite sides ofgthe annular member or pin carrier 44.

The wall 114 has an opening 115 therein through which extends the lower-or delivery end of the conduit 40, while the other wall 113 has a smaller opening 116 therein so. that .as-the pins aredelivered to the annular member they come in contact with the wall 113 thereby confining the pins in said annular member 44.

- .105 While manually actuated mechanism is' shown to raise the plungers 21, it is self evident that hydraulic mechanism may be used, if desired, to effect this result. f It is believed that the operation and many advantages of the invention will be understood withoutfurther description.

Having thus described my invention, I

claimi p 1. A bowling alley provided with a plurality of openings therein; vertical plungers reposing the used pins 1n a series of pockets; and a plurality of horizontal movable members for pushing the pins from said pockets -ciprocable in said openings; means for disand simultaneously disposing them upon all of said plungers prior to the upward movement thereof.

. 2. A bowlingalley provided with a plurality of openings therein and a pit to receive the upset pins; vertical plungers reciprocable in said openings; a revolublepin carrier to which the used pins are delivered; and a pluadapted to remove a predetermined number ofpins from said carrier and dispose one on each plunger prior to the-upward movement thereof.

' ley havin slots therein on opposite sides of J -3..A bowling alley provided with a plurality of openings therein and a pit to receive the upset'pins; vertical plungers recip'rocable in said openings; means for selecting a predetermined number of pins in said pit and disp sing one on each plunger prior to the upyiird movement thereof; and a device i otally mounted at one side of the alley or moving the deadwood from the alley into said Pit.

4. A bowling alley provided with a plurality of openings therein and a pit to receive the upset pins; a conduit from the bottom of said pit; means for delivering said pins to said conduit; gutters at the sides of said alsaid set 0 openings through. which pins may pass downwardly into said conduit; vertical plungers reciprocable in said openings; and means for separating the pins .deliveredfrom saidconduitand disposing one upon each unger prior to the I upward movement ereofa 5. 'Abowling alley provided with a plurality of tubular members extending downwardly from the upper face thereof and a pit to receive theupset pins; a conduit from said pit; means for delivering the pins in said pit to said conduit; gutters at the sides of said alley having slots therein on opposite sides of said set of openings through which pins may pass downwardly. into said conduit; vertical plungers reciprocable in said openings; means for separating the pins delivered from said conduit and disposing one upon each plunger prior to the upward movement thereof; and means for simultaneously raising all of said-plungers.

6. A bowling alle provided with a plurality of openings t erein and a pit to receive the u set pins; a conduit to which said pins are' de ivered; gutters at the sides of said alle having slots .therein on opposite sides of sai set of openings through which pins may pass downwardly into said conduit; vertical plungers reciprocable in said openings;

means for separating the pins delivered from said conduit and disposing one upon each plunger prior to the u ward movement thereof and mechanism or collecting the balls played and returning them to the head of the alley.

7. A bowling alley provided with a plurality of openings-therein and a pit to receive v the upset pins; a conduit to which said pins are delivered endwise; gutters at the sides of said alley having slots therein on opposite sides ofsaid set of openings through .which pins may passdownwardly into said conduit vertical plungers reciprocable in said openl..i;ngsj;-.;qneans-forseparatingthepins delivered 'froin:sa-id?c0iiduit; j for simultaneously ejecting a predetermined number of pins.-

movement thereof; and means for simultaneously raising saidplungers. V 8. A bowling alle provided with a plurality of openings therein and a pit to receive the upset pins; vertical plungers reciprocable in said openings; means for separating the pins in said pit and disposing one upon each plunger prior to the upward"movement thereof; a bed plate supporting all of said plungers; means for raising said bed plate; a single manually actuated device at the head of'the alley for actuating said raising means in either direction; and means for limiting the upwardmovement of said plungers.

9. A bowling alley; a triangular metal plate embedded in its upper face, a plurality of tubular members extending downwardly from said plate; vertical plungers reciprocable in said tubular members; and means for delivering pins to said members and disposin them upon said plungers prior to the upward movement thereof.

10. A bowling alley provided with a plurality of openings therein and a pit to receive the upset pins; means within said pit for moving the pins therein endwise transversely of the alley to the outlet therefrom; means for admitting the used balls into said pit;

means for separating the pins from the balls;

11. A bowling alley provided with'a plurality of openings therein and a pit to receive the upset pins; vertical plungers reciproca ble in said openings; means for selecting .a predetermined number of pins and disposing one on each plunger prior to the upward movement thereof; an arm, pivoted to one side of the alley and ada ted to swing horizontally over the face 0 the alley to move the deadwood into said pit; and means atthe head of the alley for actuating said swingin arm.

12. A bowling alley provided with a p urality of openings therem and a pit to receive the .upset pins; a conduit from the bottom of said it; a movable member in the bottom of v the plt adapted to deliver the pins to said conduit slots utters at the-sides of said alleyhavin therein on opposite sides of said set 0 openings through which pins may pass downwardly into said conduit; vertical.

plungers reciprocable in said openings; and means for 'separ'atin the pins delivered from said conduit and lsposing one upon each 13. A bowling alley provided with a plurality of openings therein and a pit to receive the upset pins; a conduit to which said pins are delivered endwise; gutters at the sides of said alley having slots therein on opposite sides of lsaid set of openings through which pins may pass downwardly into said conduit; vertical plungers reciprocable in said tubular members; means for separating the pins delivered from said conduit; a pin tube from said separating means to each tubular member; and means for simutaneously raising all of said plungers.

14. A bowling alley provided with a plurality of tubular members extending downwardly from the upper face thereof and a pit to receive the upset pins; a conduit to which said pins are delivered; gutters at the sides of said alley having slots therein on opposite sides of said set of openings through which pins may pass downwardly into said conduit;

- vertical plungers reciprocable in said tubular means for raising said members; means for separating the pins delivered fromcsaid conduit and collect them in plurality of pockets adapted to receive more pins than are required for a single setting; and means for simultaneously discharging a predetermined number of pins from said pockets and disposing one upon ea'ch'plunger prior to the upward movement thereof.

15. A bowling alley .provided with a plurality of tubular members extending down- ,wardly from the upper face thereof and a pit to-receive the upset pins; a conduit to which said pinsare delivered endwise; gutters at the sides of said alley having slots therein on opposite sides of said set of openings through which pins may ass downwardly into said conduit; vertical p ungers reciprocable in said tubular members; means for separating the pins delivered from said conduit and disposing one upon each plunger prior to the upward movement thereof; a bed plate su porting said plungers; means for raising said bed late; and a device at the head ofthe alley or actuating said raising means.

'16. Abowling alley provided with a pluralit of tubular members extending downwar 1y from the upper face thereof and a pit to receive the upset pins; a conduit to which said pins'are delivered; means compelling each'pin to enter said conduit endwise; gutters at the sides of said alley having slots therein on opposite sides of said set of openings through which pins may pass downwardly into said conduit; vertical plungers reciprocable in said tubular members; means for separating the pins dehvered from said conduit and disposing one upon each plunger prior to the upward movement thereof; and

plungers simultaneously. .1. ll A bowling alley provided with a vpluralit of tubular members extendin downwar ly from the upper face thereof; reciprocable plungers in said tubular members; a fixed frame having a plurality of pockets therein; an annular rotatable carrier surrounding said frame having a plurality of inwardly extending ribs; means for feeding pins to said carrier between said ribs; and

a plurality of members adapted push pins from said pockets into said tubes.

18. A bowling" alley provided with a pluralit of tubular .members extendin downwar ly from the upper face thereo reciprocable' lungers in said tubular members; a fixed rame having a plurality ofpockets therein, each pocket being adapted to hold two roun ing said frame having a plurality of inwardly extending ribs; means for feeding pins to said carrier between said ribs; and a plurality of members adapted to push the innermost pins from said pockets into said tubes. v

19. A bowling alley provided with a plurality of tubular members extending downwardly from the upper face thereof; reciprocable plungers in said tubular members; a fixed frame having a plurality of pockets therein; an annular rotatable carrier surrounding said frame having a plurality of inwardly extending ribs, said carrier having peripheral gear teeth; means for feeding-pins to said carrier between said ribs; a plurality of members adapted to push pins from said pockets into said tubes; apinion meshing with said gear teeth; and means for rotating said pinion.

20. A bowling alley provided with a pluralit of tubular members extendin down waraly from the upper face thereo reciprocable lungers in said tubular members; a fixed rame having a plurality of pockets therein; an' annular rotatable carrier surrounding said frame having a plurality of inwardly extending ribs; means for feeding pins to said carrier between said ribs; a plurality of members adapted to push pins from said pockets into said. tubes;,and means at the head of the alley for actuating said pushing members. A

21. A bowling alley providedjwith a pluralit of tubular members extendin downwar 1y from the upper face thereo reciprocable' lungers .in said tubular members; a'fixed ame having a plurality of pockets therein; an annular rotatable carrier surrounding said frame having a plurality of inwardly extending ribs; a conduit from the alley pit and having branches communicating with each alley gutter and adapted to de-l liver pins to said carrier between said ribs;

ins; an annular rotatable carrier sur- I and a plurality of members ada ted topush' pinsfrom said pockets into sai tubes. 22. A bowling alley rovided with a pit to receivethe upset pins and used balls;

tubular members extending downwardly plungers in said tubular mem ers; a fixed" from the upper face ofthe alley reciprocable ward said conduit; means for simultaneously moving saidbottom and rotating said annular member thereby depositing pins in said pockets; and means for moving said pins from said ockets into said tubular members above said I movement thereof.

23. A bowling alley provided with a it to receive the upset pins and used balls; tu ular members extendin downwardly from the upper face of the al ey; reciprocable plungers in said tubular members; a fixed frame having a plurality of pockets therein; an annular member surrounding said frame and havin inwardly extending ribs; a conduit from sai pit to receive pins and deliver them to said annular member between said ribs; a bottom to said pit movable toward said conduit; meansfor simultaneously moving said bottom and rotating said annular member thereby depositing pins in said pockets; means for moving said ins from said pockets into said tubular mem ers above said plungers prior to the upward movement thereof; and a yieldplungers prior to the upward apron in front of said ing member within said annular member pre+ venting pins being carried upwardly by said annular member except in said pockets.

24. A bowling alley provided with a pit to receive used balls and upset pins, said pit having an elongated outlet therefrom extending way a ove the alley to return the balls to the head of the alley; and automatic means at one side of said alley and in front of the pin settin devices for lifting the balls in said trough an depositing them in said runway.

25. A bowling alley provided with-apit to receive used balls and upset pins; means for separating the balls from the pins and de-- positing themin a downwardly inclinedtrough extendingfrom said pit towardthe head of the alley and beneath said alley; a

ey and inclined d o wI'1- Wardl toward the head of the alley; a runrunway above the alley to return the balls to the head of the alley; and a movable endless pit. provided with pockets to receive the ba Is in said trough and deposit them in said runway.

Signed by me at 746 Old South Bldg., Boston, Mass this 27th day of January, 1928.

RAYMOND A. WILLIAMS. 

